


Sunday Uncle

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Sunday Fathers and Uncles Universe [2]
Category: LOTR RPS AU
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-09
Updated: 2010-09-09
Packaged: 2017-10-11 15:37:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/113964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After meeting a divorced father and his children at the playground on a Sunday, a young gay man takes his nephew back there the following week in hopes they'll meet again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunday Uncle

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to Sunday Father. Written as my birthday mathom, 09/09/10.

"More!" Aaron demanded, his little legs pumping, and Elijah obliged, giving the swing a slightly stronger push. His nephew had wanted to sit on one of the flat swings "like the big boys," but Elijah, unsure of the boy's ability to hold on, had put him in one of the swings with a bucket seat and openings for his legs, ensuring there was no way he could fall out.

The boy was small for three, making it likely that he wouldn't gain much height as he grew. Even though he imagined Aaron would prefer his father's height rather than the short stature of his mother and uncle, Elijah was secretly pleased that the boy would take after his mother's side of the family. The last thing he wanted was to look at his nephew and be reminded of the man who had deserted Hannah, the man who had never even seen his son and so far had shown no interest in ever seeing him. If he ever had the nerve to show his face again, Elijah would do his best to convince Hannah to have the bastard arrested for non-payment of three years worth of child support.

Aaron's interest in the swings lasted another ten minutes then he began to fidget, signaling Elijah that it would be necessary to switch playground activities soon. The swings were a little too passive for Aaron. Elijah had been much the same at that age, always in motion. He'd been at his happiest climbing and loved the jungle gym, but if he wasn't at the playground, the tree in their backyard was a great substitute, earning him the nickname "Monkey." Elijah hoped Hannah wouldn't share that bit of information with Aaron. The last thing he needed was his nephew calling him "Uncle Monkey."

Elijah felt a twinge of guilt for taking Aaron to the playground two weeks in a row. Aaron didn't seem to mind, but Elijah liked planning something different for them to do on every Sunday they spent together. He imagined Sean felt the same way. When you only saw your children one day a week, you wanted that day to be special.

Last Sunday had definitely been special for Elijah. He couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed talking to another man about everyday things like sports, movies and music. Sean had been very attentive, had seemed truly interested in what Elijah had to say, and yet hadn't forgotten his own children or Aaron, making sure he brought them into the conversation so they wouldn't feel ignored or excluded. And unlike most gay men Elijah knew, Sean hadn't spent the entire time they were in the restaurant checking out every other guy in the place.

Elijah hadn't either. From the moment he'd first looked into Sean's eyes, those gorgeous green eyes with their flecks of warm brown, he hadn't been interested in looking at anyone or anything else. Sean was carrying a few extra pounds around his middle, but it was refreshing to meet a gay man whose body hadn't been sculpted in a gym. He wore his chestnut hair short, but Elijah imagined that if Sean let it grow out a little it would probably be curly, and that might be a really good look for him. Sean had a slight overbite, and in his imagination, Elijah had alternated between biting and kissing that pouty upper lip. And those adorable eye crinkles. Elijah had done his best to keep Sean smiling just so he could see them again.

He'd gotten along well with Sean's girls, but most kids loved Elijah because they recognized a kindred spirit in him. Ally, Sean's oldest, had been a little distant at first, suspicious maybe, but Elijah had eventually won her over by letting her check out the playlist on his iPod. Apparently his choice in music had Ally elevating his degree of coolness way above her father's.

Having dinner with Sean and their kids had been more enjoyable than any date Elijah had ever been on and he was sorry to see it end. Sean seemed to enjoy it, too, but when Elijah asked for his number, suggesting they might all get together again, Sean had been hesitant. Instead, he'd asked for Elijah's number, and trying not to show his disappointment, Elijah had given it to him.

But when a week went by and Sean didn't call, Elijah decided to take matters into his own hands. When he picked Aaron up the following Sunday, he asked his nephew, "How about we go to the playground again?" It was selfish, he knew. Sunday was supposed to be Aaron's day, but if there was even the slightest chance that Sean and his girls might be at the playground again…

"Uncle Lijah!"

Brought back to reality by Aaron's voice, Elijah told his nephew, "Sorry, kiddo." He lifted the boy out of the now still swing and asked, "How about we do something else today?"

"What?" Aaron asked.

"You pick." Elijah knew the moment the words were out of his mouth what Aaron's choice would be and the little guy didn't disappoint him.

"Chuckles!"

Not that Elijah could blame him. _Chuckles_ was a preschooler's dream. It had a play area with a two-story jungle gym, racing slide and ball pit. It also boasted a clubhouse where kids could watch puppet shows, a train in the shape of a dragon, and an old-fashioned carousel. It was Aaron's favorite place on earth and he never tired of it, so Elijah took him there once a month. Since Aaron was so young, he couldn't ride the train or the carousel by himself, making it necessary for Elijah to ride along with him, and Elijah had to admit he enjoyed the rides as much as Aaron. They'd been to _Chuckles_ earlier in the month, but since they'd gone to the playground more for him than his nephew, Elijah thought Aaron deserved a second trip.

******

"So what do you want to do first?" Elijah asked as they stood on line to buy their tickets.

"Horses!" Aaron piped up, which Elijah knew meant the carousel.

"Okay, Aaron, horses it is."

The carousel was a popular destination. As they waited their turn, Elijah heard a little girl at the head of the line say, "I want to go on the carousel, Daddy."

A male voice, no doubt her father, responded, "Lizzie wants the carousel. What do you want, Bella?"

_Lizzie?_ _Bella?_ No way was that possible. Coincidences like that just didn't happen. Or so Elijah convinced himself. Then Sean, Lizzie and Bella walked by them on their way back from the ticket booth. Looking straight ahead as he walked, each hand holding the hand of one of his younger daughters, Sean didn't see Elijah or Aaron, but at the sound of his name he stopped and turned.

"Elijah?" he asked incredulously.

"Fancy meeting you here," Elijah told him.

Sean looked momentarily uncertain, then said, "It must be fate."

"Must be," Elijah agreed. "Ally's not here with you?"

Sean shook his head. "Sleepover at a friend's house."

"That's too bad."

"Her mother told her to cancel, but I told her not to. She won't have any fun if she's forced to be here. It's just as well. Lizzie and Bella love it, but Ally's a little too old for this place."

Elijah smiled. "She doesn't know what she's missing."

"I wish she felt that way," Sean said wistfully. "So the girls want to ride on the carousel."

"We're headed there, too, as soon as we get our tickets."

"Why don't you share ours?" Sean suggested. "That way the kids can all ride together." He held up a long string of tickets. "We can buy more when these are gone."

Elijah squatted down until he was at eye level with Aaron. "What do you say, Kiddo? Want to ride the carousel with Lizzie and Bella?"

All three kids issued a resounding, "Yes!"

"Then it's settled." Elijah fell into step beside him, and when he thought the kids were far enough in front of them that they couldn't hear him, Sean said, "I was going to call you--"

"It doesn't matter," Elijah interrupted.

"No, it does," Sean went on. "I wanted to, I just... Hell, Elijah, I lost my nerve. I'm still pretty new at this."

"Don't stress it, Sean. I told you, it's a journey." Trying to put him at ease, Elijah put his arm around Sean's shoulders as they walked. "So Aaron and I always choose the purple carousel horse. Which one is your favorite?"

He could actually see the tension drain from Sean's face, and then they were back, those adorable eye crinkles. "Well," Sean told him, "the girls love the blue ones, but me, I've always been partial to pink."

"I never would have guessed," Elijah giggled.

Sean rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's get a move on before all the good ones are taken."

Elijah quickened his pace, even though he knew Sean was wrong. There were still a few good ones left.


End file.
